Astilbe plant named ‘Lucy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe plant named ‘Lucy’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and uniformly flowering habit; purplish red-colored flowers arranged in compact inflorescences and borne on red-colored, upright and strong peduncles; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe arendsii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LUCY’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe, botanically known as Astilbe arendsii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lucy’.

The new Astilbe plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform and freely flowering Astilbe plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Astilbe plant originated from an open-pollination in 2014 in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands, of an unnamed proprietary selection of Astilbe arendsii, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown Astilbe arendsii seedling selection as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Astilbe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands during the summer of 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe plant by vegetative divisions in a controlled nursery environment in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands since December, 2015, has shown that the unique features of this new Astilbe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astilbe have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lucy’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lucy’ as a new and distinct Astilbe plant:

-   -   1. Compact, broadly upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.     -   5. Purplish red-colored flowers arranged in compact         inflorescences and borne on red-colored, upright and strong         peduncles.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Astilbe are darker purplish red         than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe are more compact         than inflorescences of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of Astilbe arendsii ‘Lara’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Astilbe and ‘Lara’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are more compact than plants of         ‘Lara’.     -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Lara’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Astilbe are purplish red in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Lara’ are pink in color.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe are smaller and         denser than inflorescences of plants of ‘Lara’.     -   5. Peduncles of plants of the new Astilbe are red in color         whereas peduncles of plants of ‘Lara’ are green in color

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Astilbe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Astilbe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lucy’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Lucy’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in ground beds and 30-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Astilbe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 18° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe arendsii ‘Lucy’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Astilbe arendsii, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Astilbe arendsii seedling             selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at temperatures             about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; typically brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             broadly upright and mounding plant form with inflorescences             held slightly above the foliar plane; flowering stems and             leaves basal; freely flowering with about 24 basal branches             per plant, dense and bushy; vigorous growth habit; and             freely and uniformly flowering habit.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately rapid; from divisions, about three             months are required to produce fully-grown flowering plants             in containers.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 29             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About             43.1 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 49.3 cm.         -   Stem description.—Length: About 25.3 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Internode length: About 8 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Erect to about 5° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, developing: Close to 152D;             surfaces exposed to sunlight, moderately tinged with close             to 165A. Color, developed: Close to 176A; surfaces exposed             to sunlight, strongly tinged with close to between 46A and             181A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound; on average,             about 25 leaflets per leaf.         -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 11.8 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 12.7 cm.         -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 5.1 cm.         -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Leaf shape, in outline.—Broadly ovate to broadly rhomboidal.         -   Leaflet shape.—Narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Truncate to obtuse.         -   Leaflet margin.—Biserrate.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely             pubescent; moderately glossy.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Sparsely             pubescent; slightly glossy.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Slightly             more green than 146A. Developing leaflets, lower surface:             Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close             to NN137B; venation, close to 145B. Fully expanded leaflets,             lower surface: Close to between 137B and 147B; venation,             close to 152D.         -   Leaf petiole length.—About 14.7 cm.         -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole strength.—Strong.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces.—Mostly smooth and glabrous, proximally, sparsely             pubescent; moderately glossy.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 152C             strongly tinged with close to 178B.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 152D             moderately tinged with close to 178D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate flowers             arranged on terminal compound panicles; flowers face             upright, outward or downward depending on position on the             inflorescence; panicles conical in shape; freely and             uniformly flowering habit with about 1,750 flowers             developing per inflorescence and about 42,000 flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Strong; moldy-sweet and pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 13             weeks after planting; continuously flowering from late             spring until late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.25 mm.             Shape: Broadly elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: Sepals, close to 148C and petals,             close to 60B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 17.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 4 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Narrowly cuneate. Margin:             Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing petals,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 61C. Fully expanded             petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 61B; venation,             close to 61B; color becoming closer to 61C with development.         -   Sepals.—Calyx length: About 1.5 mm. Calyx diameter: About             2 mm. Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single whorl,             lower 40% fused towards the base forming a             campanulate-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About             0.7 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate,             fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing sepals,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 59D tinged with close to             148C; margins, close to 46B. Fully developed sepals, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 59D tinged with close to 148C;             margins, close to 46B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 16.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: Mostly erect; secondary peduncles, about 35° from             primary peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster:             Moderately pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to             181A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle:             About 40° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color: Close             to 60A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             ten. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             61B. Anther shape: Broadly ovate; basifixed. Anther length:             About 0.5 mm. Anther diameter: About 0.25 mm. Anther color:             Close to 186C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             156D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two. Pistil length:             About 1.5 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.1 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 63D. Style length: About             1 mm. Style color: Close to 59B. Ovary color: Close to 59B             to 59C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Astilbe. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Astilbe have     not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Astilbe plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind, temperatures     ranging from about −25° to 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA     Hardiness Zones 5 through 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Lucy’ as illustrated and described. 